Chapter 1009: White Qilin

Within the intricate array, light shimmered and overlapped, and a hazy purple glow suffused the hall. The Xiaoyuan Glazed Pagoda appeared exceptionally radiant in the violet light. Li Ximing listened intently to the words, then fell silent.

“The new dynasty grants kingly titles to various immortal clans, but these are mere honorifics. Only our family holds both renown and substance. It has been decided that you must strive for the Venerated Mingyang position.”

The golden-eyed youth opposite stood with his hands behind his back, pacing the great hall, his thoughts unfathomable. After a long wait, he heard Li Ximing say faintly:

“The Underworld also intends for you to seek gold… There is no room for subtlety.”

Li Zhouwei looked at him, his expression cold, and said softly:

“Seeking gold is inevitable now.”

Li Ximing nodded agitatedly, his brows tightly furrowed. He paced two steps in the hall and replied:

“I won't even discuss who Li Qianyuan is, and even if I don't fully understand the ancient facts, at least our Dao tradition is still here, giving us some confidence to speak. You seek to prove Mingyang… Fine… They want you to prove Mingyang, so they give you a mere country and a lake! In ancient times, that wouldn't even count as a major vassal state!”

Li Ximing had always been a peaceable person. Even when he was pursued and severely wounded years ago, he would simply find a place to heal with a bitter smile, rarely complaining. But after enduring for so long, now in a safe place, he finally lost his composure, appearing somewhat agitated. He gritted his teeth and said:

“Emperor Wei… that was Emperor Wei! Among True Monarchs, he was a figure of high standing, an Imperial Lord at that. In terms of national fortune, he commanded the foremost heavenly dynasty of the North. In terms of cultivation, he was close to forming a Dao Embryo. And in terms of status, he shattered nations and annihilated clans, establishing the principles of the human realm, making Mingyang never waver for a thousand years…”

“If you were given a heavenly dynasty, half the realm, I would have confidence that you might achieve this. But now, a country the size of a lake is one thing, but they also demand you submit! To have a son replace his father, what a joke! They want you to bow to True Qi; what right would you then have to face Li Qianyuan? How is this any different from sending you to your death!”

“From beginning to end! From beginning to end! They have never given you a way out!”

The Taoist clearly spoke out of turn, gritting his teeth as he said:

“I naturally understand that your achievement of Mingyang is our best choice, but the reason you and I have desperately sought a retreat is precisely because this is an utterly impossible task… Luoxia is confident, everyone in the world is confident…”

“Now it's even worse; they're not even giving us a single fallback! Since we've decided to assault Mingyang, how will we deal with the Dragon Clan? Are the Dragon Clan easy to provoke? The Qiuyi are situated in the East Sea!”

The divine power surged in anger, causing all the lamps in the hall to go out simultaneously. The purple light from outside dimmed, and all radiance faded. In the darkness, only those golden eyes flickered slightly, their pupils having transformed into golden-white rings, staring at the ground, no longer displaying their usual calm, but instead shimmering with intense coldness and ruthless malevolence.

“Uncle, there's no need to think any further.”

His voice, surprisingly calm despite the distorted undertone, echoed through the air:

“If they want me to attain the fruit of cultivation, then they must allow me to gradually achieve complete divine power. Look at our family's current grievances; I am a mere pawn now, but once Mingyang is fully achieved, the significance of this pawn will be entirely different.”

Li Ximing wanted to speak but hesitated, noticing the light in the great hall flickering, growing brighter and dimmer. The White Qilin continued to speak to himself:

“Just endure for one or two decades. When my divine power is complete, I will naturally have ways to influence the situation. But for now, I must accumulate strength. I cannot be injured, nor can my cultivation stagnate. To shatter mountains and demolish temples, to slay Buddhas and demons, I must first bow to True Qi. Only then will I have the backing to nourish my talismans with a sea of blood and gain the opportunity to accumulate power…”

“Once Mingyang is fully achieved, even if I brazenly bite him once or twice, he will have to endure it unless he calls upon a True Monarch to intervene… Even if they want me to die proving Mingyang, I will make him suffer greatly before I fall…”

“Furthermore…”

For the first time, he revealed his true thoughts, and those golden-white, ring-like pupils turned to look, sending a shiver down one's spine:

“My submission today is not submission forever. The ropes in heaven are not sturdy. If one day I turn against them, shattering his five fingers and ruining this grand scheme, even Mingyang will have to look at me with new respect.”

These words were like a basin of cold water, extinguishing the angry flames in the Taoist's heart. He was startled and seemed somewhat at a loss.

‘Then… what will be the cost…’

In truth, as soon as Li Ximing's previous words left his mouth, he regretted them. Seeing the blank, faraway look in his junior's eyes, the unease in his heart grew heavier.

Li Zhouwei had shown little emotional change since childhood. In contrast, Li Jiangqian's darkness and poison seemed more readily apparent. But as all radiance dimmed, that inadvertent glance was like a handful of needles pricking Li Ximing's eyes, suddenly reminding him of something.

Back when Tianwan was in the wilderness, Li Zhouwei had also worn such an expression, and those words still echoed in his ears:

‘Is it not right to die for me!’

His moment of distraction caused those eyes to immediately compose themselves. The White Qilin stepped onto the platform, step by step, and said faintly:

“As for today's matter… I have pondered it in my heart for a long time.”

“The path of True Qi, with its righteous nature, suppresses lust and holds infinite benevolent might. But if a family's Dao tradition, a true immortal lineage, follows the path of upright and supreme rituals, yet its master is missing and has secretly pledged allegiance to the North, then suppressing lust righteously fails, and killing becomes inhumane. How difficult would that be?”

“This place is only a hundred li from where that esteemed one rose to power, which makes it troublesome. Thus, when that esteemed one swept through the Yue kingdom, this spot was intentionally left out, as a shift in circumstances was precisely what was needed.”

The royal axe hanging inverted from his waist gleamed as he calmly replied:

“That esteemed one is currently stabilizing the situation, suppressing lust righteously, pursuing the Great Desire Dao all the way, abolishing lewd shrines one by one, and striking towards the North. The Great Desire Dao will suffer further losses, and that esteemed one also can't spare a hand… I might as well give him a hand.”

“And also to avenge the eastward flight across the sea.”

Li Ximing raised his eyebrows, looking at him incredulously, as the White Qilin said:

“True Person Qinghu's visit to inquire about the sect gate also holds significance. You can certainly ask him if Helin Commandery and Mount Changxiao would suit his taste.”

The corner of his mouth curved into a slight, sarcastic smile as he said:

“However… Uncle, why don't you guess whether True Person Qinghu has gone far, or if he might be waiting nearby in the Grand Void?”

The Taoist's thoughts coalesced, and he stood up, listening to the youth's faint words:

“Our family has no other path… Uncle… our hands cannot avoid being stained with blood. If we lack the awareness to lead the general trend, we will only be endlessly dominated by it…”

Those golden-white, ring-like eyes still flickered, and the White Qilin smiled faintly, revealing sharp, fine teeth:

“You also know… that esteemed one shifting Mingyang's gaze to us wouldn't be for the White Qilin to be reincarnated in vain.”

Within the stone chamber, spiritual energy was dense. The faint white light from the lamp stand spilled onto the couch, illuminating an overturned, empty jade bottle nearby. The young man exhaled a wisp of white mist and suddenly opened his eyes.

Mana, utterly different from his previous life, flowed through his limbs and bones, causing him to raise an eyebrow and savor the sensation.

The 'Tai Xu Dou Zhuan Art' achieved the Divine Weave sequence, a very clear legacy of the Sky-Governing Dao. It possessed an overbearing aura of 'I am the Heavenly Principle.' Although the immortal foundation was not yet complete and thus not obvious, it already had its methods.

‘The 'Tai Xu Dou Zhuan Art' coalesces into a virtual core in the Qi Sea. Normally, one should nourish it diligently, and it can add to one's mana during combat… Unfortunately, it hasn't yet formed a foundation, so its profound wonders are limited…’

Li Suining gently raised his hand, and a faint silver glow of mana emerged in his palm. As he waved his hand, twelve formation banners, purple with starry embellishments, emerged from his sleeve!

These twelve Long-Light Star-Veiling Banners alternately converged and dispersed in the air, then descended, transforming with dazzling colors. At times, they took the form of rain clouds, unleashing thunder; at other times, they became iron chains spanning the sky, sealing spiritual energy.

These formation banners shifted through thirty-two different formations, each overlapping the last, before returning to his sleeve. After Li Suining demonstrated the formations most familiar to him from his previous life, his eyes shone brightly, and he had a clear understanding in his heart:

‘In my previous life, I also followed the Sky-Governing Dao, aligning with lightning. But compared to the Douheng Profundity, this life's Divine Weave sequence is clearly more akin to the Profound Lightning Dao!’

‘Moreover, in terms of sealing, maneuvering, and responding to the Grand Void to orchestrate changes, there's more spiritual insight. It seems there might be some conflict with the cultivation path of Yue…’

As a formation master, his sensitivity to Dao traditions was the highest among all crafts. Li Suining's cultivation in the Sky-Governing Dao was not low, and with True Person Yuanbian's Profound Iteration Calculation Scripture, this intuition was not difficult to achieve.

All of this was within reason, but what surprised and delighted Li Suining was something else entirely.

‘Judging by the quality of the mana, this 'Tai Xu Dou Zhuan Art'… is in no way inferior to the 'Star Chamber Grand Vault Divine Scroll' of my previous life! It far surpasses the 'Golden Scroll Tablet Art' I cultivated before transforming Qi in my previous life!’

An ordinary Qi cultivator would certainly not be able to discern this, but having cultivated in two lives and personally practiced both techniques, he naturally understood it deeply. He immediately lowered his head thoughtfully, his heart filled with joy:

“Although the 'Tai Xu Dou Zhuan Art' has no subsequent cultivation paths, its quality is truly high…”

This was undoubtedly excellent news. He no longer harbored thoughts of breaking through to the Purple Mansion, but the more brilliantly he performed in the Foundation Establishment stage, the more highly he would be regarded. The stronger his abilities, the more he could change!

So, he cheerfully surveyed his cave dwelling, put away his miscellaneous items, swept open the stone door with a flick of his sleeve, and calmly stepped out. Dazzling sunlight immediately poured down, and he mused to himself:

‘The Great Desire Dao descends from the wilderness. I wonder if the True Person is injured, and how he is now… Injuries of the Purple Mansion level are always secrets, impossible to inquire about or discover…’

He raised an eyebrow, noticing a white-haired old man guarding the entrance to the cave dwelling, sitting cross-legged. It was precisely Du Dou, sent by his family to serve him.

Upon seeing Li Suining, Du Dou was immediately overjoyed and rose to offer congratulations. The young man smiled, stopping him, but had little mind for celebration, eager instead to ask about family matters:

“How long have I been in seclusion?”

Du Dou hurriedly bowed:

“Reporting to Young Master, it has only been six months.”

Li Suining's heart stirred.

As a cultivator of two lives, he knew the path well, and things unfolded naturally. He took elixirs and perfected six cycles of embryonic breathing, adjusting his qi, but the time spent was not much. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief:

‘It's still early. Perhaps Emperor Song has just arrived in the wilderness… And that karmic fire hasn't generated too much killing karma… But signs of major unrest are appearing…’

The establishment of the Great Song and the clearing of the Yue region involved more than just a few divine power battles. There weren't significant losses, so it didn't draw much attention. In his previous life, he was in seclusion and didn't know much about it. Now, upon careful reflection, he pondered:

‘One battle brought all four directions to submission. Red Reef Island and Changxiao Sect were both severely troubled. Even the northern front, which his family guarded, the Changxiao Sect's coastal territory, was breached by the Chen family. After all… there always needs to be a pledge of allegiance, and the enmity between the Chen family and Changxiao is so deep…’

He narrowed his eyes slightly, and his heart sank:

‘And there was True Person Han Sui, whom Changxiao Zi had stationed in Zhulu for many years. His presence in the coastal region was nothing but a burden, ultimately only adding fuel to the fire…’

As Li Suining pondered, he descended through the buildings and soon reached the ground floor of a pavilion. Just as he was about to go up, he suddenly raised an eyebrow and looked carefully, realizing the master was not there. Only then did he ask:

“Strange… Is the Elder Lord in the continent?”

“This subordinate does not know…”

Du Dou's status was not high, so asking him for such information was indeed difficult. Li Suining then instructed:

“Old Du, I've successfully broken through. I should inform the Elder Lord. Please go inquire on my behalf, ask about the timing, so I can go visit!”

Du Dou quickly departed. Li Suining, having sent him away, proceeded to search towards the center of the continent. He soon arrived at a quiet and peaceful place: lush green grass, the sound of a waterfall, and the renewed clang of swords. As Li Suining moved further in, he felt a sharp aura assailing him, fearing he might be harmed. He hurriedly called out:

“Little Uncle! Suining is here!”

Immediately, a resounding clang erupted. Sword qi, previously weaving like moonlight above the waterfall, fell like torrential rain, converging towards the center of the lake, transforming into a moon-gleaming magical sword that landed in the hands of the white-robed youth.

“Clang!”

The long sword returned to its sheath. Li Jiangchun raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, and smiled as he looked at him, replying:

“Congratulations, Suining!”

Li Suining stepped back, bowed, and chuckled:

“Little Uncle has excellent swordsmanship!”

The white-robed man in the sky descended on the wind, stopping before him, shaking his head with a smile, and replied:

“Come…”

The two were sitting at a stone table by the lake when Li Jiangchun suddenly looked up at the streaks of escaping light flickering in the sky, frowning as he said:

“Strange… why is there so much movement today…”

Li Suining, being extremely sensitive, raised his eyelids. His heart sank with a jolt, and a chill rushed through him. Just as he was about to rise, he suddenly noticed a patch of apricot-red flames descending from the sky, their light blazing, abruptly landing by the lake!

As the flames touched the ground, an intense scorching aura rushed forth, making it difficult for Li Suining to open his eyes. Yet, he saw the Departing Fire coalesce and manifest, surprisingly forming a crimson-robed youth.

This person had an outstanding appearance and a slender build. His eyes were filled with a heavy, cold intensity, and his golden pupils shone dazzlingly. Simply by standing there, the aura of Foundation Establishment Peak brought serenity to the entire small lake, and the oppressive power of Departing Fire permeated the air.

Li Suining stood stunned, somewhat at a loss:

‘True Person Changli?’

In an instant, he reacted: the Li Jiangqian before him was still at Foundation Establishment!

‘Something's happened!’

Indeed, Li Jiangchun immediately realized the gravity of the situation. He stood up and questioned:

“Brother!”

Li Jiangqian's eyes flickered with a mix of trepidation and doubt. He glanced at the two and said in a low voice:

“No need for more words. Follow me into the inner array at once!”

Li Jiangchun immediately soared on the wind with Li Suining without hesitation. The three of them stood together on the Departing Fire and instantly vanished. The golden-eyed man's lips curled into a slight smile as he said in a low voice:

“Today, Father has led people south from Hunan to avenge Changxiao. The True Person remains by the lake, explicitly forbidding passage between the continents, and direct descendants are to enter the array.”

His gaze turned sinister, and his tone was filled with strong killing intent:

“That Changxiao Sect acted in secret, forcing the True Person away, forcing Uncle to his death, and forcing Father to draw his sword in self-defense. Today… we shall avenge the pursuit and slaughter on the river.”

This flood of news practically exploded in his ears, causing Li Suining to lower his gaze. His vague suspicion was immediately confirmed, and his heart suddenly grew cold:

‘It's bad… it's bad… What you dread most comes to pass!’

‘Indeed, affecting a Purple Mansion-level combatant was bound to cause problems… It's early… The True Person's escape from the West Sea hastened Changxiao's destruction… Not only was it hastened… but even… it was our family that acted! Our family actually acted!’